Tina Masters-Odum recently lost her husband after being his caregiver for over 12 years. Today, she honors his legacy by sharing her best caregiver and survivorship tips. We start with what you need to know at the beginning of this process. It can be easy to experience information overload. But talk to a nurse navigator or equivalent to find out things such as what are the sleeping arrangements for the caregiver? What other accommodations will the hospital have for food, a shower, and more? What...
Dec 14, 2022•31 min•Season 9Ep. 5
Jermaine Reid of Georgia was playing a recreational basketball game when, all of a sudden, he couldn't catch his breath. Jermaine had not been to the doctor in quite some time and he knew something was wrong. Next thing you know, he was in the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit at Northside Hospital, unable to be around his children. He was fighting with acute myeloid leukemia. But it was a chance meeting with another patient on his second day that completely changed his perspective. All of a sudden he...
Dec 14, 2022•29 min•Season 9Ep. 6
Today we are joined by Becky Dame, currently an Information Specialist at The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, RN and Survivor. As Peggy says in the podcast, callers who end up talking to Becky must feel like they've hit the information jackpot. Becky is a chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) survivor who went on to become a cancer care nurse, before she transitioned to her current role. Today, we tap into her wealth of personal and professional experience. Becky was diagnosed as a college student in ...
Dec 14, 2022•16 min•Season 9Ep. 7
Season 9 of the Marrow Masters Podcast focuses on “what I wish I knew before transplant.” We’re featuring advice from caregivers, doctors, nurses, and survivors. The transplant journey doesn’t end in the hospital - it’s important to maintain a positive attitude when you come home, too. This season also includes an episode on fertility preservation, a topic that isn't discussed nearly enough. Don't miss an episode of Marrow Masters, Season 9! Follow our show on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or on the ...
Dec 14, 2022•2 min
Survivor Aisha Stokes of Southfield, Michigan was not a cancer patient. She battled sickle cell anemia for the first 24 years of her life. But it was a clinical trial involving what's traditionally a cancer course of treatment - that changed everything. Aisha walks us through the decision to enroll in this trial just before an upcoming birthday would have made her ineligible. Following pheresis, she underwent an intense four day chemotherapy treatment, followed by a stem cell transplant, with he...
Sep 21, 2022•20 min•Season 8Ep. 1
Dr. Corey Cutler is the medical director of the Stem Cell Transplantation Program at Boston's Dana Farber Cancer Institute and an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. As a physician at the forefront of cancer research, he talks about how the field has rapidly advanced, thanks to the volunteers who participate in clinical trials. Dr. Cutler's field of expertise is Graft Versus Host Disease, and he starts by walking through all the different therapies that have come out of cl...
Sep 21, 2022•22 min•Season 8Ep. 2
Jacey Herman is a survivor. And much of that has to do with clinical trials. At age 35, this mom of two was diagnosed with with B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Late admission into a clinical trial got her to remission the first time. After a relapse, she underwent a double cord transplant when no donor could be found. Yet another clinical trial bought her more time until, following yet another relapse, Jacey found a match, and has been in remission ever since. Peg and Jacey talk about her e...
Sep 21, 2022•17 min•Season 8Ep. 3
This season we are talking to doctors and clinical trial participants. But today we get a different perspective. Stacey Brown manages clinical research at Northside Hospital Cancer Institute. She's uniquely qualified to discuss what goes into an institution joining a clinical trial, as well as everything patients can expect throughout the process. Northside is unique in that all its patients come in via referral. Stacey walks us through the paperwork process with the reminders that patients need...
Sep 21, 2022•17 min•Season 8Ep. 4
Today Gleevec is an incredibly common cancer treatment. But like every drug on the market, it went through clinical trials more than two decades ago. Our guest today, Mel Mann, was the second person to receive the drug, back in 1998. And it saved his life. Mel was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia, (CML) in 1995 and was given three years to live. At the time, a bone marrow transplant was the only option. The registry had far less people on it than today, particularly people of color. At th...
Sep 21, 2022•24 min•Season 8Ep. 5
Our guest today is Dr. Mark Schroeder of the Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis. Dr. Schroeder walks us through the different phases of the clinical trial process, how it can benefit patients, and how volunteers can help advance cancer treatment. We talk about interventional vs. non interventional studies, and how Phase 1, Phase 2, and Phase 3 of clinical trials function step by step. Depending on your diagnosis and prognosis, this explanation can help you decide which phase...
Sep 21, 2022•29 min•Season 8Ep. 6
Survivor Marilyn Zagha-Keeshan joins us today. An immunoblastic T-cell lymphoma survivor, Marilyn volunteered for not one, but two clinical trials. She talks about the helpless feeling that came with her cancer diagnosis, but the empowering feeling that came with volunteering for clinical trials. First, she participated in a trial for Azacitidine, which was given to her in between chemotherapy treatments. Marilyn talks about the resources available to her - from the staff to a detailed calendar....
Sep 21, 2022•12 min•Season 8Ep. 7
Welcome to Season 8 of the Marrow Masters Podcast, sponsored by Omeros Corporation. and Incyte. Season 8 of our show focuses on clinical trials. We're covering how to find them, what to expect, and how survivors have benefited from them. We also talk to healthcare professionals about how these oncology clinical trials are conducted and monitored, safely. Our goal is to answer as many of your questions as possible. Follow our show on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you're listening right now...
Sep 19, 2022•3 min
Season 7 of Marrow Masters focuses on chronic Graft vs. Host Disease sufferers, or GVHD "long haulers." And our first episode is about an important topic that doesn't get enough attention - reproductive and sexual health. Dr. Areej El-Jawahri is an oncologist at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. And while that is her primary role, her work experience has taught her about the need to focus on these issues. A majority of transplant survivors struggle with sexual health issues and concerns ...
Jun 21, 2022•20 min•Season 7Ep. 1
Juliane Belisle, MSW, LCSW-s, at Cancer Family Care in Cincinnati, provided counseling and other services to survivors and their families. To outsiders, chronic Graft vs. Host Disease long haulers may appear fine. Survivors have made it through transplant and the immediate aftermath. But the unpredictability of cGVHD can lead to anxiety, depression, and despair and frankly, survivors get sick and tired....of being sick and tired. And they have to learn how to "re-train their brain." In this epis...
Jun 21, 2022•30 min•Season 7Ep. 2
Dr. Sean Smith is the director of the cancer rehabilitation program at Michigan Medicine, in Ann Arbor, as well as an associate professor at the University of Michigan. He's dedicated to helping patients improve function as it relates to a variety of musculoskeletal, neurological and cognitive deficits related to cancer and its treatment. Dr. Smith says every patient is different, and they may try many treatments at once to find the best fit for each individual situation. The sooner he and his t...
Jun 21, 2022•22 min•Season 7Ep. 3
Heather Jim, PhD, is a senior member and co-leader of the Health Outcomes and Behavior Research Program at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa. Today she walks us through ways to combat sleep issues related to chronic Graft vs. Host Disease. Hopefully the tips here will help all of us get a better night's sleep. Heather begins by walking us through the importance of sleep, and how that changes as we age. Interestingly, 30% of the general population report sleep problems, but for transplant recipients...
Jun 21, 2022•14 min•Season 7Ep. 4
Colorado's Ann Haehn and her daughter Genny are two truly special people. Today, Ann takes us on their journey through Genny's transplant and subsequent battles with chronic Graft vs Host Disease. After a very grim diagnosis, Ann and the rest of Genny's village found a doctor that felt he could get Genny through transplant at Colorado Blood Cancer Institute. During a long six-month pre-transplant process, Ann moved in with Genny and her kids. Genny's new boyfriend (now husband) Josh was also a h...
Jun 21, 2022•34 min•Season 7Ep. 5
Today, survivor and advocate Meredith Cowden talks about being your own advocate regarding GVHD. As patient advocacy director of the Meredith Cowden Foundation, she has a wealth of resources to share, many of which are linked below. (If you'd like to hear a more detailed version of Meredith's story, you can listen to Season 6, Episode 4 of the Marrow Masters podcast here: https://marrowmasters.simplecast.com/episodes/meredithcowden ) After a diagnosis of AML, Meredith received an allogeneic bone...
Jun 21, 2022•36 min•Season 7Ep. 6
Today, Peg is joined by Heather Younker, RDN, CSO, a dietician at the John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center. We cover all things related to Graft vs. Host Disease and diet. Nutrition is important for everyone, but especially those with GVHD, in order to prevent malnutrition and other issues. Registered dieticians and nutritionists can be key in a multidisciplinary approach. It's important to keep your entire health care team in the loop so they can be aware of all is...
Jun 21, 2022•32 min•Season 7Ep. 7
Welcome to Marrow Masters Season 7, sponsored by Pharmacyclics and Jansen, and Kadmon, a Sanofi company. This season we focus on long haulers – those who are dealing with chronic graft vs host disease. We cover different treatment options. We’ll cover some topics that aren’t always easy to bring up. And we’ll cover the importance of taking care of not just your physical health, but your mental health as well. Season 7 of Marrow Masters is out June 21st. Follow our show for free on Apple Podcasts...
Jun 16, 2022•2 min
Dr. Sung Choi is a pediatric bone marrow transplant physician at Michigan Medicine (University of Michigan). Dr. Choi joins us today to discuss the unique challenges for pediatric patients as it relates to Graft Versus Host Disease (cGVHD). Passionate and knowledgeable, Dr. Choi will tackle it all, including target organ damage, the cytokine storm, clinical trials and much more. Classic organs affected by acute GVHD include skin, liver and GI tract. Did you know that typically the skin is the mo...
Jul 19, 2021•34 min•Season 6Ep. 1
Senior Clinician Dr. Edward Cowen is Head of the Dermatology Consultation Service at the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases at the NIH. Dr. Cowen will share his expertise on skin issues as they relate to Graft Versus Host Disease (GVHD). In this episode Dr. Cowen "covers" it all--dry scaly skin, red rashes, skin fibrosis and fasciitis. His expertise will make patients and caregivers alike feel more confident and knowledgeable about skin GVHD. When should you se...
Jul 19, 2021•30 min•Season 6Ep. 2
Molly Gallogly, MD, PhD, Attending Physician, and director of the Graft Versus Host Disease (GVHD) program at the Seidman Cancer Center in Cleveland, OH, is one busy doctor. Dr. Gallogly will share what happens at their incredible GVHD clinic and why it is advantageous to have a designated GVHD clinic. Newly diagnosed patients are evaluated and seen regularly as long as their GVHD is active. A detailed head-to-toe exam and full skin exam are standard and each GVHD patient is accurately staged an...
Jul 19, 2021•32 min•Season 6Ep. 3
Meredith Cowden was only 19 years-old when she was diagnosed with AML about 20 years ago. Meredith has been dealing with GVHD in many manifestations for most of these two decades. Polymyositis and steroid use are discussed as well as the incredible perseverance and determination this young lady carries with her each day. Meredith, a clinical counselor, is in the business of helping others thrive during the work day. And in her free time, she is always willing to share her story and her heart to ...
Jul 19, 2021•32 min•Season 6Ep. 4
Dr. Catherine Lee is an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology/BMT at the Huntsman Cancer Center, University of Utah. Dr. Lee's clinical expertise is in classical transplantation (autologous and allogeneic) and newer cellular immunotherapies (i.e., CAR-T cell) for the treatment of blood diseases in adult patients. She runs a Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease and Long-Term Follow-Up Program which is designed to provide medical care specific to patients with chronic Graft Ve...
Jul 19, 2021•17 min•Season 6Ep. 5
Perry Cheathem noticed swelling in his legs in 2014. After many rounds of chemo that were not working, Perry had his life-saving bone marrow transplant in June of 2015. This determined man of faith and dad of five children says he was actually honored to get cancer, deciding it was a testimony to help others. He was not afraid and is at peace with the process, walking with God through it all. Perry shares his donor story and his desire to help build awareness of the donor process, especially as ...
Jul 19, 2021•15 min•Season 6Ep. 6
In June of 2016, 69 year old retired CPA Harry Johnston went on a safari in South Africa. He did not feel well and even thought he'd been bitten by a tick. Turns out, he was diagnosed with AML. But there is good news. Tune in as Harry shares his transplant story and Chronic Graft Versus Host Disease (cGVHD) issues that began in 2019. He had thickening of the fascia – the layer of tissue below the skin. This caused tightening around the stomach, which interfered with air intake. Then he had to ch...
Jul 19, 2021•16 min•Season 6Ep. 7
Lisa Loutzenhiser was 56 years-old when she felt off in December. It was the holidays, and she was simply just exhausted. A teacher, she carried on until she needed to finally call in sick one day. Her diagnosis in late January was AML, and the journey began with her transplant in May of 2020. Oh, and let's add COVID to the story too. Lisa will share her Graft Versus Host Disease (GVHD) story including her skin issues, precautions needed for being in the sun, gut issues and much more. "As if the...
Jul 19, 2021•25 min•Season 6Ep. 8
Welcome to Season 6 of the Marrow Masters podcast series, sponsored by the National Bone Marrow Transplant Link, Incyte Corporation and Kadmon. The National Bone Marrow Transplant link, established in 1992, strives to help patients, caregivers, and their families cope with the psycho-social challenges of transplant, from diagnosis through survivorship. Season 6 focuses on advice for dealing with Graft Versus Host Disease (GVHD). We’ll hear from health care professionals on the front lines of thi...
Jul 19, 2021•2 min•Season 6Ep. 9
Welcome to Marrow Masters, Season Five, sponsored by the National Bone Marrow Transplant Link, Seagen, Omeros Corporation, and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. The National Bone Marrow Transplant Link, established in 1992 strives to help patients caregivers and their families cope with the psychosocial challenges of transplant from diagnosis through survivorship. In season five, join Peggy Burkhard, executive director of the nbmtLINK as she focuses on all things survivorship. The information...
Apr 26, 2021•3 min
